AIRASIA Philippines yesterday received its air operator certificate from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, and is planning to launch three domestic and three international routes from its hub at Clark International Airport.

The carrier is scheduled to start domestic flights to Davao (March 15), Kalibo and Puerto Princesa next month, with Singapore, Hong Kong and Macau heading the list of intended international destinations.

AirAsia Philippines expects to obtain commercial flying permits for its first set of international routes by end-March, and will add Bangkok and Incheon when it obtains a second leased Airbus A320 towards the end of the year.

The country’s Civil Aeronautics Board has also granted the airline 1,260 seats for a Clark-Kuala Lumpur route, seven flights a week for Clark-Cambodia, six flights per week to Japan—which can be used for either Osaka or Nagoya, as well as air rights to China, Taiwan and South Korea.

AirAsia Philippines CEO Marianne Hontiveros said the carrier would bulk up with at least 16 leased A320 aircraft by 2015-2016.

"Our initial target was 857,000 passengers (handled per year), premised on full-year operations in 2012," she added, but that target has since been revised downwards.